Roller bearing



NOV 26, 1935 E. F. MILTENBERGER Y 2,022,252

v'ROLLLR BEARING i Filed June 17, 1931 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 26, 1935 ROLLER BEARING Eugene F. Miltenberger, Red BanlnN. Si. Application June 17, 1931, Serial No. 544,965

` 4 claims. (ci. sos-isi) One object of the present invention is to provideA an improved anti-friction bearing unit which is simple, rugged, .and compact, which is inexpensive to construct, and in which the rollingv 5 elements of the bearing are protected against conmanently assembled as a lubricated bearing unit at the place of manufacture, which can be easily and quickly tted as a unit in operative position, and in which the rolling elements are effectively protected against dirt, dust and the like, and

- maintained in proper lubricated condition throughout the life of the bearing without the application of lubricant in addition to that contained in thel bearing at the time of manufacture. In the accompanying drawing, there is shown for purposes of illustration; one form of'device embodying the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a section taken through the center of a ballbearing, and showing the invention adapted as a support for a roller used in conveyor systems of the multiple roller type, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the several parts of the ballbearing in spaced positions.

The specific embodiment of the present invention is herein shown as a ballbearing unit, but so far as the broader aspects cf the invention are concerned, it may also be adapted for use in a roller bearing arrangement.

The'ballbearing unit includes an inner race ring I0 adapted to fit on a shaft I I which, inthe particular form shown', is designed to constitute part of a conveying system of the multiple roller type for supporting and transporting articles'in a factory or mill. The inner race ring I0 cooperates with a pair. of rings I2 and I3. which conjintly serve as an outer race ring for a series of bearing balls I4. The inner race ring is preferably somewhat longer 1than the outer race ring, thus presenting protruding end portions. The two rings I2 and I3 are conned and retained in position by means of -a two-partsheet metal casing having a main intermediate cylindrical portion engagingl the outer periphery of these rings.- 1

In order toretainallthe elements of the ballbearing together as a unit, and to support vand retain a sealing and lubricating element,fthe casing includes a jacket I5 and an end cap 2 I. The jacket I5 at one end has a radially inwardly extending flange I6, a cylindrical section I1, and a shoulder section I8, serving in part to define an anjectionable, gritty substances, the ends of the ers 26 and 21 between the opposite ends of the and 23 are eoniivned on all four sides, and more nular chamber encircling the periphery of the iii-A ner race ring I0. -The flange I6 has the inner periphery thereof extending close to the outer periphery of the race ring I0 adjacent to one end of the latter. vided with an inwardly extending ange I9 which, after assemblage, is spun over a flange 20 extending radially outwardly from a cap 2l closely embracing the race ring I0. This cap 2I forms an annular chamber which is similar to the annular 10 chamber formed at the other end of the bearing by the offset portions of the jacket I5.

In order to store lubricant and to protect the bearing balls I4 againstthe abrasive action of ob- 15 bearing have sealing devices in the form of washers 22 and 23 made of absorbent material, such as felt, and closely embracing the opposite protrud-1 ing ends of the race ring I0 at its outer periphery.

These washers 22 and 23 are retained under com- 20 pression in the annular chambers formed by the jacket I5, and the cap 2 I, respectively.

In order to lfurther aid in the retention of the felt washers 22 and 23 in position, and to provide a more eifective sealing joint between the race .25-

ring I0 and said washer, the ends of said race ring are reduced to form annular shoulders 24 and '25 which` engage` the inner. surfaces of said felt washers adjoiningv the inner peripheries thereof. These resilient washers 22 and 23 are thicker than their conningf chambers, and have larger exterior diameters and smaller internal diameters.' so asrto require compression in the assembly.l

It is advantageous to provide thin metal washouter race ring and the inner face surfaces of the felt washers 22'la`nd r 23. However, these washers 26 and 21 may Abellomitted as the outer race ring may serve to .'conne'fthe felt washers in position. By means of this ar effectively held `under compression. h The felt washers 22 andi 23 not onlyserve to guard against ingress of objectionable foreign substances into contact with the balls I4,'but 45 are also saturated withvasuitable lubricant for lubricating vtime rolling'elements of the bearing. They each thereby,` form lagre'servoir or source of lubricant supply, the lubricant seeping to'afslight extent axially along thesurface of theinner vrace 5(1)" ring I0 towards the balls I4. vBy maintaining the felt washers 22 and 23 underl compression, 'they' press at all times againsttherace ring 'I0 to form a seal to keep out dirt, and a'continuousf supply of lubricant from' the feltfwasrhers u The other end of the jacket I5 is pro- 5 rangement, the felt washers 22 40 sured. The felt washers are soaked in oil before being inserted, or the assembled bearing is soaked in oil after the parts are.. assembled. Enough oil is thus stored so that they never need to be oiled, as the oil will last as long as the bearing.

In Fig. 2` is shown the elements of the bearing ready. to be assembled. In that figure, the jacket I5 is shown just before the flange I8 has been spun to engage the flange of the cap 2|. In assembling the device as shown, the felt washer 22 saturated with lubricant, is first fitted axially into the annular chamber formed at the end of said jacket. This felt washer is preferably of such width that the inner face surface thereof extends beyond the shoulder I8 formed on the jacket I5. The metal washer 26 is then disposed in position into engagement with the felt washer 22, with the outer periphery of said metal washer 4 pression. The race ring section I2 is then shifted in positi'on as shown in Fig. 1, and the inner race ring I 0 passed through the center of the arrangement as already assembled until the shoulder 24 abuts the inner face surface of the felt washer 22. It is advantageous to chamfer the ends of the race ring I0 at the edges of the outer periphery thereof to facilitate the ingress of said vrace ring into position.

After the race ring I0 has been shifted into position, the balls I4 can then be inserted, and thel outer race ring section I3 mounted to confine said balls in position. The metal washer 21, the lubricant saturated felt washer 23, and the cap 2I may then be mounted successively in position. 'Ihe end of the jacket I5 can then be spun over the flange 20 of the cap 2l to hold said cap in firm position. The felt washer 23, being wider than the width of its confining chamber and of larger outside diameter, will be compressed therein.

'I'he felt washers not only prevent the entrance of outside dirt along the inner race ring, but also seal the very narrow clearance between the washers 26 and 21 and the shoulders 2l and 25.

The arrangement as assembled and shown in Fig. 1, can be manufactured and permanently assembled as a unit, transported as a unit to the place where it is to be used, and easily and quickly iitted in position without the necessity of lubricating or assembling any parts of the bearing arrangement. Such a unit can be advantageously used in a conveying system of the multiple roller type, the unit not only serving to centrally support the conveyor roller, but also serving as an end wall therefor. In Fig. 1 is shown a conveyor roller 28, the inner periphery of one end of which is enlarged to provide a shoulder 29 engaging the flange I9 of the jacket I5. This jacket is press-fitted into the end 4of the roller 28 so as to be rotatable therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A ballbearing including an inner race ring,

a pair of ring sections encircling said inner race of the end portion of the inner race ring, saturated with lubricant, disposed in said annular chamber, and conned therein under compression, a metal washer disposed between the inner face surface of said felt washer and the outer 5 face surface of one of said outer race rings, a cap disposed at the other e nd of the bearing, embracing the outside of said inner race ring, and forming an annular chamber therewith, a second felt washer saturated with lubricant, disposed 10 in said last mentioned annular chamber and having the entire inner periphery thereof engaging the periphery of the other end portion of said inner race ring, said second felt washer being held under compression'in said chamber, and a l5 second metal washer disposed between the outer face surface of one of said outer race rings and the inner face surface of said last mentioned felt washer, said cap having a radially outwardly extending ilange abutting the outer face surface 20 of said metal washer near the outer periphery thereof, said jacket having the end disposed near said cap turned to form a radially inwardly ex- 'tending ange which engages the outwardly extending flange of said cap position.

2. A ballbearing including an inner race ring, an outer race ring encircling said inner race ring, and shorter than said inner race ring, a series of bearing balls disposed between said race 30 rings, a jacket having a cylindrical portion which engages the outer periphery of said outer race ring, and having one end thereof odset to form an annular chamber, a felt washer having the entire inner periphery thereof engaging the pe- 35 riphery of the inner race ring adjacent to one end thereof and disposed in said annular chamber, a cap disposed at the other end of the jacket, encircling said inner race ring, and forming an annular chamber therewith, said cap having 40 a radially outwardly extending iiange and said jacket having the end disposed near said. cap turned to form a radially inwardly extending flange which engages the outwardly extending iiange of said cap to hold said cap in position, 45 and a. second felt washer disposed in said last mentioned annular chamber and having the entire inner periphery thereof engaging the peripheryK of said inner race ring adjacent to its other end.

3. An anti-friction bearing including an inner race ring having a pair of annular, axially spaced, endwise facing shoulders, an outer race ring encircling said inner race ring, a series of antifriction rolling members interposed between said 55 race rings and disposed between said shoulders,

a jacketA having a cylindrical portion which engages the outer periphery of said outer race ring andhaving one end thereof oifset to form an armular chamber, a felt washer firmly abut- 60 to hold said cap in 25 .ting one of said shoulders, and having the inconfined in said annular chamber, a cap disposed 85 at the other end of the jacket, encircling said inner race ring, and forming an annular chamber therewith, said cap having a radially outwardly extending flange and said jacket having the ends disposed near said cap turned to form a radially inwardly extending ange which engages the outwardly extending flange of said cap to hold said cap in position, and a. second felt washer disposed in said last mentioned annular chamber, rmly abutting the other shoulder and having the entire inner periphery thereof engaging the periphery -of said inner race ring adjacent to the other end of said inner race ring.

4. A preassembled anti-friction bearing includcluding an inner race ring having a pair of annular axially spaced endwise facing shoulders,

anti-friction rolling members interposed between l said race. rings and disposed between said shoulders, a sheet metal casing formed of at least two parts and having a cylindrical portion rmly engaging said outer race ring, and also having annular chambers at the outer ends of said outer race ring encircling said inner race ring, said casing having end walls extending radially inwardly with their inner edges closely adjacent to said inner race ring and forming-the' outer end walls of said chambers, and felt washers confined under compression within said chambers, i-lrmly abutting said shoulders and having lthe inner peripheries thereof firmly engaging said inner race ring on opposite sides of said antifriction rolling members to seal said latter mem- 10 bers.

EUGENE F. MILTENBERGER. 

